


Dream State

by LittleSweetCheeks



Series: While We Sleep [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Loneliness, Possible Season 12 Spoiler References, Separation, dream - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 01:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9213062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSweetCheeks/pseuds/LittleSweetCheeks
Summary: Garcia falls asleep missing her friend.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Possible Season 12 references for those looking to avoid that.
> 
> My muse has been a bit off recently. It has been giving me stories I wouldn't normally write.

Garcia slumped into her apartment and unceremoniously dumped her bags onto the chair just inside the living room.  Bracing one hand on the counter dividing the kitchen, she shucked off her heels and tossed them in the direction of her bedroom.  As she entered the kitchen, she worked on losing all of her jewelry as well as the clips in her hair.  Everything today was irritating her.

Peering into her refrigerator, she pulled out the remainder of a carton of eggs and a few vegetables.  Omelets would have to do, she didn’t feel like cooking anything else.  Cracking two eggs into a small pan, she whisked a fork through them before digging out a cutting board and knife.  When she dumped the jalapenos out and started to cut, she hesitated.  After several false starts, she found she’d lost her appetite.  Turning off the stove and moving the pan, anger started to build up inside her.  Giving in to the urge to lash out, she grabbed a handful of the peppers and launched them at the far wall, shouting as tears came.

Garcia stumbled to her couch, dragged the thick blanket off the back and wrapped up in it before crying herself to sleep.

==

_Garcia blinked several times and looked around at her surroundings.  She was sitting in the grass; the sky was blue overhead and she could hear birds on the breeze.  “Hello?”_

_When no reply came, she turned to look around at the place.  It wasn’t somewhere she recognized as ever having been before.  Instantly she wondered if she was in danger._

_“You’re safe here.”_

_The voice made her whip back around and stare at the man now standing in front of her.  She had to squint in the sun to look up at him, hands in the pockets of his slacks.  “How are you here?  You can’t be here!”_

_His eyes were soft as he smiled down at her.  “I’m okay Garcia.  You’re dreaming.  This,” He lifted one hand and waved to encompass all they could see, “Is all your doing.”  He scanned the landscape, “To be honest, I would have expected to look a little…different.”  Finally, he knelt in the grass and settled beside her, long legs out in front of him, crossed at the ankles._

_Garcia couldn’t help but stare at him, to take him all in.  Her eyes traced over him from his shiny shoes all the way up to his chocolate brown eyes.  Eyes that were smiling at him._

_“Memorizing me?”_

_She blushed.  “Sorry.”_

_“Well, technically I’m your memory, so…”  He studied her in return.  “What’s wrong?”_

_Tears sprung to her eyes and she sniffled, “Nothing.”_

_“Talk to me, Penelope.”  He leaned forward and took hold of her arm.  “You’re upset.  Upset enough to create all of this.  What’s going on?”_

_“I don’t do well with change.”_

_“I’m well aware of that.”_

_She shot him a dirty look and he grinned a minute before becoming serious again.  “Besides the obvious, what changes have happened?”_

_“I was always able to be myself with you around.  You never judged me or made me feel unwanted.  I mean, sure there were days when you put your foot down, but even then you made sure I knew you appreciated me for me.  You used to come find me at the end of cases and make sure I was okay.”_

_“And now?”_

_“Rossi doesn’t like me.”_

_His head tipped to one side, “What makes you say that?”_

_She went quiet._

_“Penelope.”  He let out a heavy sigh.  “I’m sorry I can’t be there to help you.  I’m not coming back, but… Once this is all over?  You will be able to find me.”_

_“I know.  I agreed it was best not to even look right now.  But I just wish I could see your smile once in a while and go to your office and talk to you.”_

_“And if you could, what would you talk about?”_

_Garcia stood and paced in the grass, suddenly aware she was barefoot as the soft blades tickled her feet.  “I would come in and ask if you knew why Rossi gave me that look.”  Her hands were moving as she spoke._

_“What look?”_

_“That look like he’s irritated with me.  Like he doesn’t want me around.”  She stopped and faced him, “He doesn’t smile at my outfits, he doesn’t let me banter, he just cuts me off.  All that stuff about me that you used to just accept, he just…”  She threw her hands in the air, “I don’t get it.  He never used to have a problem.”_

_He stood and walked a few steps away.  “Dave and I have known each other for nearly twenty years.  Even when he retired, we kept in touch occasionally and in those times we were out of touch, there was always the option to get back in touch.  I can’t imagine either of us ever dreamed of a situation like this.”  Facing her, hands once again in his pockets, “I would imagine he’s hurting too.”_

_“So, what?  He’s taking it out on me?”_

_“When he joined the team, he was pushed into a team environment he wasn’t used too.  Dave was always a lone wolf.  You guys all grew on him and then JJ left and came back and Prentiss has come and gone several times.  Morgan is gone and Reid is away.”_

_“How do you know that?”_

_He smiled, “I’m you, remember?”_

_“Oh.”  Her face fell.  “So I already know everything you’re telling me.”_

_“Yeah.  You do.”_

_Her eyes filled with tears again, “I miss you.  Is that dumb?  I miss looking up and seeing you at your desk.  I miss hearing your voice, I miss,” Her voice cracked.  “I miss when you would do something like put your hand on my shoulder or back when you would walk up behind me.”  She drew in a shuddered breath, “That’s so stupid.”_

_He finally approached her, placing both of his hands on her shoulders, “Do you remember when Jack wanted to make those peanut butter cupcakes?”_

_She laughed through the tears, “My god, yes!  I’m still finding flour in weird places in my kitchen!”  She wiped her eyes and looked up at him.  “It was so bad you had to go get your bag and change clothes.”_

_He nodded.  “I remember.  It was a good day.”  He finally pulled her into a hug and Garcia shut her eyes._

==

Stretching, Garcia pushed the heavy blanket off herself and rubbed her face.  Her skin was stiff from dried tears.  Standing, she pulled the blanket back around her shoulders, reveling in how it felt like a warm hug, and wandered to her small laundry room.  Flipping on the light, she scanned the shelf, spotting what she was looking for.  On tiptoes, she pulled down the black cotton shirt.  The day Hotch and Jack had come over to make cupcakes, he’d forgotten to repack one spare shirt into his bag.  She’d put it up and forgotten to give it back.

Chewing her lip, she hesitated before pulling it close.  She could smell his aftershave just from having been in his bag. Closing her eyes, it felt like he was there with her in the room.  She swore she could hear him saying, “ _It’s going to be okay._ ”

 

 


End file.
